As computers have become a part of every day life, video games playable on computers have similarly become a very popular means of entertainment. While software and computer graphics innovations have made video games very realistic, most video games rely on more contemporary input devices such as a keyboard, computer mouse or joystick to allow a player to interact with the video game. While these traditional input devices are familiar to most users and easy to operate, they tend to take away from the realism of the video game.
Furthermore, the improvements that have been made to video games have added many options and features that were simply not available previously. As a result, these traditional control devices lack the functionality to provide for the control of these additional functions and features. Users typically must use multiple control devices within the same game to allow for control of all features. For example, it is quite common for users to utilize a computer mouse along with extensive use of the keyboard to input commands and perform actions in the video game because the computer mouse alone simply lacks sufficient functionality for today's video games. The use of multiple input devices complicates the playing of these video games to the point where the user must spend a significant amount of time simply familiarizing himself with the control devices prior to even attempting to proceed with playing the game. Naturally, this robs the user of both a sense of reality while playing the game and takes away from the user's enjoyment.
The computer mouse allows a user to position a cursor on a display of a computer system by moving the mouse along a flat surface. A mouse ball in the base of the mouse rotates as the mouse is moved. The rotation of the mouse ball is correlated to movement of the cursor on the screen. More recently, trackballs have been introduced to allow a user to position a cursor on the display of the computer system by manually rotating the track ball. The rotation of the track ball is similarly correlated to the positioning of the cursor on the display. However, the mouse requires a large, flat and substantially smooth two dimensional surface over which the mouse moves and thus, the user is somewhat restricted in where he or she can use the mouse while still maintaining good control over positioning of the cursor. While trackballs eliminate the need for a large flat surface, they are typically mounted on the keyboard or some other computer system component, which tends to limit where the user can utilize the trackball as well. In addition, as noted above, both the computer mouse and trackball lack the functionality required to utilize the additional features and options available in advanced video games, thus necessitating the use of additional control or input devices and complicating video game play.
Joysticks may provide a more realistic effect for certain video games. For example, joysticks are similar in design to control sticks used in aircraft, and therefore, tend to add to the realism in a flight simulation video game. However, many do not add to realism in many other video games. While some joysticks may include additional control inputs, and thus, provide for increased functionality, even these joysticks do not provide sufficient functionality to satisfy the requirements of advanced video games and typically require the contemporaneous use of the keyboard.
Control devices that can be manipulated in free space to control a display of the computer system have been developed to free users from some of the restrictions of traditional control devices. Some control devices utilize sonic positioning. Typically, an ultrasonic transmitter in the device is monitored by an array of sensors. The position of the cursor on the screen is correlated to the position of the ultrasonic transmitter in the device relative to the array of sensors. Thus, these devices are limited in that they rely on an array of receivers and have range limits. In addition, they these control devices also lack functionality sufficient to play today's advanced video games.
More recently, gyroscopes have been incorporated into control devices in order to allow users to manipulate control devices in free space and position the cursor on the display by pointing the device at the desired position on the display (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,825,350 to Case, Jr. et al.). Gyroscopes have long been used in aircraft to provide inertial space reference and to measure pitch and roll relative to the gravitational vector. In control devices utilizing gyroscopes, motion of the device in free space is typically translated into motion of the cursor on the display. More specifically, the vertical and horizontal tilt of the control device is translated into the desired position of a cursor on the display of the computer system. These devices typically include a computer mouse function as well and may be connected to the computer system in a manner substantially similar to that of a conventional computer mouse. While these devices allow a user more freedom in using the device, these devices do not make a video game experience any more realistic, as they tend to be substantially similar in size and shape to the traditional computer mouse and thus offer little realism. Further, these devices function in a manner similar to the computer mouse and thus have similar limited functionality which means they are insufficient to control the additional options and features of today's advanced video games.
In addition, light guns have been developed for use with video games. These devices typically are shaped like a fire arm and project a beam of light. A screen placed over the display of the computer system senses this beam of light and is used to indicate a location on the display at which the user is aiming. These devices do provide some more realism, however, they are only useful for targeting in the video game. In addition, the user must point the light gun at the display in order to use it, which limits where the user can play the video game.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a control device for a computer system that is more realistic in shape and more intuitive in operation while also providing increased functionality for use with today's video games.